A long time
by Sheankelor
Summary: Motoki has to wait 10 yrs for Reika, that is a long time. How does he handle it? A couple short stories focused on this long wait written for Dec'07 challenge in sm monthly.
1. Waiting

Title: Waiting  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Motoki - hurricane  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime - season 1  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked Motoki and friends to tell us some tales.

Waiting

The TV in the corner of the Crown was stuck on the international news station. No one was allowed to change the channel. Motoki leaned out of the kitchen, and peered at the screen. The map filled him full of dread. There it was in all its white spiral cloud glory, and it was heading for Kenya's coast. He knew that Reika was in Nairobi, but that it didn't stop him from worrying. You never know how far a category four hurricane was gong to blow in-land.

Straining to listen, he caught that the storm surges were already hitting the shore.

Placing the trays down where Unazuki could get them, Motoki headed back into the kitchen. Turning the radio up, he listened as the news reported the landfall of the leading edge. They were already tallying the death toll, and the most of the storm was still over the water. The beeping of the fryers covered over the breaking news report. Hitting the button that shut off the timer with more force than it needed, he yanked the basket out of the grease. _'What was it? What happened?'_

Glancing at his cell phone sitting open on the corner of the prep counter, he stared at the message he could not bring himself to erase. _The person you are trying to call is currently out of range._

_'I'll try again tonight. That will give the storm time to blow out.'_ Holding onto hope with all his might, he waited. Waiting was the hardest part. Waiting undermined hope.

Dragging his eyes from the phone, he prepared the next order by route.


	2. making plans, building dreams

Title: Making plans, building dreams  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Motoki - taking stock  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime - post-series  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked Motoki and friends to tell us some tales.

Making plans, building dreams

It was finally hitting Motoki, now that the contract was signed, the loan was approved, and tomorrow he would at the lawyer's office to sign the last bit of the paperwork. He was purchasing the Crown. They were shutting down many of their arcades, but they gave Motoki a chance to purchase the business. _'Of course, I can't keep the name, but I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll hold a contest to see what we should be called now. Maybe I could just leave the crown on the door, and drop the name. Then everyone will still recognize it.'_ He refilled Mamoru's coffee cup after he topped off his. It had already been a long night, taking stock off all the things in the arcade, determining what had to be shipped back to Crown, Inc and what was staying. Luckily Mamoru had agreed to help, and was just as good as Motoki at reading the invoices sent by the company. _'It was all in the contract, but we had to have everything marked before the final signing tomorrow. And now that that is complete, we can plan out what I want to do with this place.'_

Motoki looked down at the plans spread out across the table. The small rooms that were currently used to store Crown paper work, as well as all the promotional materials since the arcade had opened drew his attention. He was going to have to pack it all up and ship it out next week. Tapping the paper, he smiled. "I think we should move the virtual reality games to these rooms."

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "They are already set up in these three rooms. Why move them?" He touched three rooms that were closer to the front of the store.

Motoki grinned. "They don't need as much space, and the rooms they are in are large. The new rooms are smaller."

"Then what are you planning to move into these rooms?" Mamoru waited for the answer he could see Motoki fighting to contain.

"Karaoke rooms. They need space, the renovations will be easy, and they are the newest rage." The delight in Motoki's face was contagious.

"The girls will love that." Mamoru could see Usagi and her entourage taking up residence in one of the rooms.

Motoki swept his hand across the section of the floor plan that housed the older, virtually unused games. "I was thinking of expanding the cafe through this part of the building."

Mamoru tapped the area closest to the rest of the arcade. "Maybe some DDR machines in this area. They are really popular, and their music sounds really close to Parapara music. It will provide music and entertainment for the people eating."

Motoki ran his hand through his hair. "Sounds good." He glanced at his watch. "It's already that late! I have to be at the lawyers early tomorrow, I mean this, morning. "

Mamoru collected the coffee mugs. "I've got these, you handle the paperwork." He waved the mugs in the direction of the pile of invoices and stuff stacked on another table.

As the left the store, Motoki locked the door behind him. Soon, this place would officially be his.


	3. When reflecting is too much to bear

Title: When reflecting is too much to bear  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Motoki - Reflection  
Genre: General/Angst(?)  
Version: Anime - post-series  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked Motoki and friends to tell us some tales.

When reflecting is too much to bear

Motoki sat the warm bottle of sake on the floor and poured himself a cup. Slumping onto the floor with his back against the sofa, he sipped the sake. The empty room pressed in on him. _'It is too quiet. There should be happy laughter floating around the kitchen. The table should be set. Her eyes should be laughing at something that happened today. I should be telling her all about the improvements to the arcade.'_ The silence beat in on him, and, even though he welcomed some after working all day at The Palace, there was too much here. _'I like the name and I'm not surprised that it was Minako who thought of it. It is close enough to The Crown that people remembered it and business didn't suffer. But.. but _**she**_ should have chose the name.'_

He stared at the pile on letters that graced the edge of his desk, and overflowed in to a large basket that resided next to it. Above that pile was a picture, one that he knew every line, every detail, and was currently face down because he couldn't bear to see it any more.

Crawling up on to his couch, he stared at the picture that wasn't looking at him. _'I can still see it. Reika standing in front of the Tower of London, smiling at me, or the guy taking the picture. The words on the bottom, written in her hand, saying _**I wish you were here!**_ . I ...I...'_ His head dropped into his hands.

_'Six years.'_ His hands pressed against his eyes, trying to hold the tears at bay. _'It has been six years. Four more to go. Four more until she returns from England.'_ Stretching out one hand, he reached for a cup of sake. Noticing it was empty, he refilled it. Staring into the depths of the streaming cup looking into the sad eyes that reflected back at him, he tried to remember why he told her to go. _'I couldn't hold her back. I had nothing to offer her then. I wasn't out of college. My job couldn't support us.' _A tear fell into the liquid. _'I could now. The Palace is doing great! But even now I...I couldn't keep her from her dream. I couldn't keep her from reaching her potential.'_ He sipped the hot liquid. _'Unazuki was harping just yesterday that Reika could be any where doing anything, and I was stuck here working at the same place, doing the same thing. And she is right. I'm still managing the arcade. What does it matter that I own it now? It obviously didn't change anything. She is still over there, and I'm still over here.'_

The phone rang. Setting the now empty cup on the ground, Motoki waited for the answering machine to pick up. Hope warred with dread as he strained to hear who it was. _'She wouldn't call tonight. It's not her usual time. But.. but maybe...'_ Listening as hard as he could, he tried to hear the message.

When the telemarketer started talking, he felt his heart plummet, dashing the hope that he tried not to feel across the floor. Curling up into a tight ball on the couch he tried not to let the despair in deeper. He tried to remind himself that it was okay, that all would be fine in just a few more years. _'Years! That is the problem. She might decide to go somewhere else. She went to Africa for a year, and when she returned she told me that she wanted to go to England for ten years. Where will she go next? America? And for how long? Fifteen years? How long can I wait? How long am I supposed to wait? Isn't eleven years enough?!'_

Looking around the room that had seemed so empty of her earlier, he now saw the reminders that were all around him. The letters on the desk told him of how much fun she was having, and who she was having fun with. The picture, even face down, reminded him that she had plenty of free time to see other men if she wanted to. The blanket draped over the chair reminded him of the time they had bought it together. _'We laughed at the silly joke she told. She wanted to stop for tea at the tea house on the corner, but neither of us could afford it.'_ There were small nick-nacks that were scattered all around, some from her trip to Africa, some from England. _'Which country is next?'_

The bitterness that echoed through his thought jarred him. Standing up abruptly, Motoki headed for the door. There was only one person who could help him through this evening. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed the number as he locked the door. "Hello, Mamoru? What are you doing tonight?"


	4. hunting for a song

Title: Hunting for a song  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Motoki -The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime - post-series  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked Motoki and friends to tell us some tales.

Hunting for a song

Motoki flipped through the cds hunting for the special one. _'It is in here somewhere. I know it is. I couldn't have lost it.'_ Running his free hand through his hair, he sighed. _'It's not here. Where could I have left it?'_

Wandering over to his desk, Motoki flipped through the stacks of paper work. _'Did I leave it here? Why would I have it on the desk?'_ His hand hovered over the pile of letters. Memories of last night flashed through his mind. _'If Mamoru hadn't been free, I don't know what I would have done. And that is why I need that disc!'_ He shuffled through the pile of letters.

The search took him through the rest of the living room, into the kitchen, through the small dining area, the bed room, and eventually into the bathroom. After tearing the apartment apart, he plopped into his desk chair. _'I'll check at work this evening. Meanwhile...'_ He opened The Palace's ledger and finished balancing his books.

An hour later, Motoki stretched back, and he caught sight of the face down picture. _'She is pursuing her degree, and I am using my business degree. For the past three years I have owned The Palace, and as of last month I have paid off the loan. Business has been strong, and seems to be getting stronger. The karaoke rooms are very popular, as are the DDR games. I didn't expect the cafe to do as well as it is.'_ Sighing, he set the picture up. _'Reika, I can support you now. You could just come home, and everything would be fine.'_ His eyes dropped to the words embossed across the bottom. _'I wish you were here, too.'_ He forced a smile. When he glanced back towards the ledger, something red caught his eye. There, laying under Reika's picture, was the cd he had been looking for.

Picking it up, he held _The Beatles 1_ tightly, almost afraid it would disappear again if he let it go. _'I found it! And now...'_ Putting it into the player, he programed it for track 27 _The Long and Winding Road _. It was their song. That was what Reika had said when she sent him the cd. Closing his eyes, he let the words wash over him, promising him that she would come back to him; assuring him that the road always led to his door.


	5. surprise

Title: Surprises  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Motoki -Crash  
Genre: Romance/General  
Version: Anime - post-series  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked Motoki and friends to tell us some tales.

Surprises

**Crash!**

Motoki didn't even flinch as the plate shattered on the ground. His eyes were flickering around The Palace looking for the owner of the laughter he had just heard. Cocking his head this way and that, he tried to hear it again. Then he heard a voice that he knew couldn't be there. Turning slowly, he followed the sound, fencing in his heart, preparing for the disappointment. It had to be someone else.

The sound led him to the front of the arcade, near the karaoke rooms. Scanning the ever present crowd, he searched for a tall brunette with rich brown eyes. He spotted Mamoru and Usagi first. The smile on Mamoru's face made his guard slip slightly. _'He looks like a cat who's got into the cream. Something special is about to happen. Could it be? Could she really be here? But... but there are still three years and eleven days to go.'_

Mamoru caught sight of Motoki hovering near the driving games, indecision written on his face. He waved for Motoki to join them.

Walking as if on egg shells, Motoki crossed to the group of people clustered around his best friend. When he saw who was in the middle of the cluster, he felt his heart stop, and all the noise fade away. Reika was home. His eyes slid over her as he tried to take in that she was honestly standing there. He spotted the slight droop in her shoulders, and how she tilted her head towards the left. A closer examination showed the make-up expertly done under her eyes, hiding the shadows that were there. _'She is exhausted.'_ Walking slowly to her, he scooped up her hands in his. "You look tired." There was so much more he wanted to say, but he vaguely remembered that they were in public, at his place of business.

"It's just jetlag." Her voice surrounded him, drawing him further into their own world. Where he was floated out of his mind as her voice slipped in. It was one of the few things he had to comfort him these past years, and he always heard it at home.

They both missed Mamoru, Usagi, and their friends maneuvering around them, blocking everyone else's view of the reunited couple.

Motoki searched her face, taking in the paleness of her complexion.

"No, it is more than that. You haven't been pushing yourself too much have you? Are you sick? Did you have a nervous breakdown?" Motoki stroked the back of her hands with his thumb, his concern washing over them both.

Reika gave a wry smile. "I have been working hard. I didn't tell you in the letters. I didn't want you to worry about me."

Motoki looked deep into her eyes, trying to determine if she had pushed herself too hard. "So, you are home to recuperate. How long are you staying?"

The wry smile turned into a genuinely happy one. Stepping into his arms, Reika laid her head against his chest. The sound of his heart beat soothed her, and her eyes drifted shut. "I'm staying here forever. I am never leaving again." She heard Motoki's heart start beating faster, and then he tensed.

Motoki stroked her hair with his right hand, while his left arm cuddled her closer. Joy exploded inside of him, giddiness ran through his bloodstream as the words he desperately wanted to hear were said. _'Forever. I want her here forever. But...'_ He tensed slightly, pulling himself up before he could float into a dream that could end in a nightmare of disappointment. _'..but I made a promise. A promise to her, and a promise to myself. I will never hold her back from becoming all that she can. If I break it...'_ He could see the bitterness he saw written on his own mother's face. _'Dreams have to be realized, they have to be achieved, or the person that prevented it, no matter how much it was done out of love, no matter how much love was shared between the two, will slowly become despised by the one that gave up on their dreams. I couldn't bear that. I couldn't bear to lose Reika to that.'_ Looking down at her, he whispered into the top of her head. "You have to finish school. I won't let you give up. I have waited this long, I'll continue to wait as long as necessary."

A sigh escaped as Reika snuggled closer to him. "I haven't given up." She raised her head, her eyes meeting his, their faces inches away from each other. "I worked so hard that I finished. They are sending me my diploma. I didn't want to wait for the ceremony."

Motoki felt stunned. _'Done...She still had three years. To do that, she had to overload on her courses, and not take any semesters off. If that is true, then no wonder she is tired.'_ Trying not to hope, Motoki's arms tightened around her. "You're home... really home?" Hope started pushing against the barricade around his heart.

Reika looked deep into his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly. "And I would like our wedding to be within the month." Closing the last few inches between their lips, she kissed him.

Motoki didn't hear the crash as the now unneeded walls fell away from his heart. All he heard was the blood singing in his ears as the hopes and dreams that the walls held back flooded through him.

Mamoru's and Usagi's eyes met over the couple. They would plan this wedding as much as possible. Usagi made eye contact with all ten of her friends who were helping to make the privacy wall. Each one signaled their agreement to help.


End file.
